Her Campus ODU is making way for difficult political conversations on Old Dominion University (ODU)’s campus. In the current political landscape where students may feel scared to discuss their political stance, Her Campus ODU opened a forum, inviting panelists from ODU SGA, Good Girls Take ODU, ODU Environmental Justice Club, ODU English Department and YWCA South Hampton Roads to discuss the need-to-knows before this upcoming November’s presidential election.
The hour-long panel showcased key arguments from both the left and right with an emphasis on informing rather than debating. Here are the key takeaways from the panel:
Understanding the Electoral College
Whether you choose to vote right, left or independent, it is important to recognize your influence as a voter. A common misconception is that your vote holds no weight in an election. When you vote, in-person or by mail-in, you represent a portion of your state’s voice which is passed along to your corresponding electoral college electors. In most states, the popular vote determines who your state’s electoral college votes go towards. The only states that do not follow the winner-takes-all rule are Nebraska and Maine.
Now, what about the candidates? This November, you have the choice between Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz representing the Democrats and Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance representing the Republicans.
The Democratic Party Candidate: Kamala Harris
First up, Kamala Harris.
Before joining the election, she held positions as an attorney, attorney general, senator and most recently, the 49th Vice President of the United States.
In her pursuit for presidency, she places a key focus on tax cuts for middle and working class families, tackling our current climate crisis, safeguarding fundamental rights and implementing policies to keep America safe and secure.
Harris aims to protect reproductive and civil rights while advancing policies to decrease gun violence and crime, as well as to secure the nation’s borders.
The Republican Party Candidate: Donald Trump
Next, Donald Trump.
Trump is running for his second presidential term, previously serving as the 45th President of the United States.
Amidst the upcoming election, he has shared with voters his commitment to rebuilding the economy, securing borders and defending law and liberty.
Among his key issues, Trump aims to maintain the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which protects the current abortion ban, and upholding the Second Amendment, which allows citizens the right to bear arms. In relation to his efforts to secure borders, he aims to deport alien gang members and stop human trafficking.
Student Specific Issues
As a college student, what issues might you be interested in?
Student loans play a significant role in many college student’s lives, creating financial stress that can last decades. Trump previously offered temporary relief measures for student loan debt during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Forbes, voters can expect Trump to implement targeted relief options rather than loan forgiveness. As for Harris, she previously supported Joe Biden’s loan forgiveness efforts, which canceled upward of $160 billion in federal student loans.
As we continue to hear how the environment has struggled to keep up with human-led damage, fracking has become a topic of discussion in modern politics. Fracking is the process of releasing oil and natural gas from underground rock formations and has massive impacts on the environment. Trump has previously commented on cutting back regulations and making tax cuts to large oil companies, while Harris pushes to invest in clean energy rather than an outright ban.
As always, the choice is yours to make, and the only wrong vote is no vote at all. Don’t forget to visit your local polling facility or mail in your absentee ballot this November to make your voice heard!